Learners can handle the basics of daily life. They talk about routines, possessions and immediate needs using simple present-tense structures, if the other person speaks slowly and clearly.
Printable one-to-one lesson plan
Imperatives
Build positive and negative imperatives for directions, instructions, requests, and warnings, and use let’s for suggestions.
Use after the complete A1 sequence, not as a lesson quiz.
Open diagnostic →15–20 minutes optional: Tutor-read imperative purpose, politeness, and intonation check · Five-minute next-day imperative retrieval
Derived from this lesson’s source
Lesson-specific teaching brief
This is not a second lesson registry. The plan reads the same native content that produces the learner page.
What the learner should do
Build positive and negative imperatives for directions, instructions, requests, and warnings, and use let’s for suggestions.
What must become clear
Imperatives are everyday grammar for directions, instructions, recipes, warnings, and plans. They are the fastest way to help another person do something.
High-value friction points
- Turn left at the bank.A neutral ordinary imperative normally leaves the understood listener you unspoken. Explicit you remains possible for contrast or emphasis.
- Don’t worry about the report.After don’t, use the base verb directly, with no to.
- Let’s take a break.Let’s means let us. Lets without an apostrophe is the present-simple verb meaning allows.
Protect these lesson moments
- Three quick checks from earlier lessons
- Discovery check: choose the pattern
- Drill 1: choose the natural chunk
- Tutor-read listening check
- Drill 2: type the first word of the instruction
Learner production
Map route: Guide a fictional visitor from the station to a public venue. Use three ordered positive steps and one route to avoid.
- Interface card: Explain how to change one setting on an invented app. Keep one main action in each step and finish with a saving instruction.
- Safety station: Give one calm rule and one urgent warning. Deliver the grammar accurately while changing the strength of your voice.
- Request choice: Turn Send me the file into an appropriate request to a fictional coworker who can reasonably refuse.
- Shared plan: Make two fictional event suggestions with let’s and one shared action to avoid with let’s not .
Carry this language into the next session
Retrieve Imperatives in one true sentence at the next lesson.
Use while teaching
Operational teaching notes
Choose a route before class, but change it when the learner’s production gives you better evidence.
Ask before explaining
- Which examples in “Three quick checks from earlier lessons” express the same core meaning?
- How would you explain this decision in your own words: Imperatives are everyday grammar for directions, instructions, recipes, warnings, and plans. They are the fastest way to help another person do something.
- What needs to change in this repair, and why: Turn left at the bank.
Correct for the stage
- Controlled work: correct immediately, then require the complete repaired sentence.
- Fluency building: note repeated errors and reformulate after the learner finishes the thought.
- Communication: interrupt only when meaning breaks down or the target decision is the lesson’s main evidence.
Retrieve, do not reteach
Retrieve Imperatives in one true sentence at the next lesson.
Short, core, or extended
Choose the route
All three routes end in learner production. More time means more contrast and transfer, not a longer explanation.
Short route
Retrieve for 3 minutes. Notice and discover for 8. Use the two most diagnostic tasks from Three quick checks from earlier lessons and Discovery check: choose the pattern for 12. Protect 9 minutes for Learner production, then reflect for 3.
Core route
Follow the six-stage sequence below. Reduce repeated controlled items when accuracy is already stable, but keep the nearest useful contrast and final production.
Stretch route
Add Tutor-read imperative purpose, politeness, and intonation check · Five-minute next-day imperative retrieval, then repeat the communication task with a new situation or stricter success criteria.
45–55 minutes core working plan
Session sequence
Protect the final communication and reflection time. If the learner needs more support, reduce the number of controlled items instead of removing production.
- 5 min
Retrieve
Activate what the learner already controls and check any prerequisite language.
Teacher move: Open with the first practice route: Three quick checks from earlier lessons · Discovery check: choose the pattern · Drill 1: choose the natural chunk.
- 6–8 min
Notice
Let the learner observe meaning and form in a small sample before naming the rule.
Teacher move: Keep the noticing conversation anchored to this decision: Imperatives are everyday grammar for directions, instructions, recipes, warnings, and plans. They are the fastest way to help another person do something.
- 8–10 min
Discover
Connect form, meaning, use, word order, and the nearest useful contrast.
Teacher move: Test the learner’s explanation against this repair: Turn left at the bank. A neutral ordinary imperative normally leaves the understood listener you unspoken. Explicit you remains possible for contrast or emphasis.
- 12–15 min
Build + drill
Move from accurate choices to faster retrieval and sentence construction.
Teacher move: Prioritize these lesson tasks: Three quick checks from earlier lessons · Discovery check: choose the pattern · Drill 1: choose the natural chunk · Tutor-read listening check. Reduce repetitions if needed, but keep the final production time.
- 12–15 min
Communicate
Use the target language for a real adult purpose the learner cannot complete by copying.
Teacher move: Learner production: Map route: Guide a fictional visitor from the station to a public venue. Use three ordered positive steps and one route to avoid.
- 3–5 min
Reflect
Make progress visible and choose one specific next use.
Teacher move: Retrieve Imperatives in one true sentence at the next lesson.
Tutor-only source
Listening scripts
Read these lines from the tutor plan while the learner lesson remains on screen. Each clip names the learner item it supports.
Tutor-read imperative purpose, politeness, and intonation check
- Clip 1
Read: Select Continue.
Supports: Clip 1 gives a screen user a listen .
- Clip 2
Read: Have some coffee.
Supports: Clip 2 gives a guest a listen .
- Clip 3
Read: Can you send me the file, please?
Supports: Clip 3 makes a listen .
- Clip 4
Read: Don’t touch that!
Supports: Clip 4 delivers an listen .
- Clip 5
Read: Let’s take a break.
Supports: Clip 5 makes a listen .
- Clip 6
Read: Let’s not drive tonight.
Supports: Clip 6 makes a listen .
Delivery and evidence notes
- Use calm, level delivery for the screen instruction, warmth for the offer and suggestion, room for an answer in the request, and a firm falling warning only for the immediate danger.
Keep only useful evidence
After-lesson notes
These notes are for deliberate tutor records or printing. Nothing is stored in the learner’s browser.
The learner can now…
Write one observable use of the target language.
Still needs support with…
Record one repeated error, contrast, or point of hesitation.
Next retrieval prompt
Write one short prompt the learner will answer at the next session.
Anonymous live-lesson evidence
Learner pilot worksheet
A1 · Imperatives
Pilot 1 of 30 recorded · 3 remaining
Date
Approximate starting level
Core lesson time
Starting evidence
What did the learner already control? What was the first misconception, hesitation, or contrast that mattered?
Did the principle become clear?
Imperatives are everyday grammar for directions, instructions, recipes, warnings, and plans. They are the fastest way to help another person do something.
Did the first hint help?
Record the first item that caused difficulty and whether the contextual hint led to self-correction before the full repair appeared.
Could the learner do the outcome?
Build positive and negative imperatives for directions, instructions, requests, and warnings, and use let’s for suggestions.
Listen for: The learner uses the target language independently for a real purpose.
What remained available?
If possible, check before rereading in the next session. Record what returned independently and what still required a cue.
Keep, revise, or investigate?
Note any explanation the tutor still had to supply, the smallest useful revision, and whether another pilot should test the same issue.